Here you will find a selection of the best of the blogsphere from – well, a little over a month (yes, I was lost in a time/space wormhole, but a very nice group of Klingon’s gave me a lift home). It took me a bit to sift through the 1000+ posts, but I’m sure you’ll find something below that fits your interests and needs. You’ll notice a bit of a title and format change – this is for the best. Grab your coffee, straighten the glasses or spritz those contacts and above all – enjoy.
Best Resource Of The Week!
Ed Ditto: How to Publish from Word to Kindle in Under Ten Minutes. This is not a mere post – this is a Full Guide, with photo’s and step-by-step instruction. Great work, Ed!
On Author Platform
Dan Blank video interview Seth Godin on Kickstarter and the Value of Author Platform. This is an incredible video packed with useful information (and thinking) – and, if you’ve never seen Seth live, wow, let me tell you his energy radiates off the screen!
Lisa Hall-Wilson: Maximizing Facebook – What we can Learn from Puppy Dog Eyes and LOL Cats. Incredible tips, oh, and she is teaching a couple of classes on this that are so incredible they even made Kristen Lamb a believer. Just sayin.
Jenny Hansen: What do your Facebook interactions really say about You? Fantastic post with charts, insightful tips, and a cool new tool.
Kristen Lamb: The Most Powerful Social Media Tool Building an Author Platform
Cate Russell-Cole: Where to Promote your Blog. Great site resources.
Elizabeth Craig: Blogging for Writers. Post looks at a different view of blogging and its influence on your sales and reader connections.
Gabriela Pereira: Why Writers Should Write Guest Posts. Other than to get a complimentary drink or chocolate…
Joel Friedlander: Google+ Communities Create New Networks for Authors & Publishers.
Matthew Turner: How to Engage Your Readers. Excellent tips and ideas in this post.
Kristin Morin: Divide & Conquer: Building an Author Platform by Proxy. Lots of insightful tips.
Here there be Acid-Dripping Trolls…a Public Service Announcement.
Kristen Lamb: Plagiarism and Terrell Mims – A Chronic Case of EPIC Stupid. Excerpt: “I don’t even think I should have to blog about this, because COME ON! Plagiarism? In this day and age? REALLY???? Just…really. But, we live in a world that must caution us not to blow-dry our hair in the shower or use power saws while sleeping, so here goes. Plagiarism. Yes, it happens.”
Jami Gold: Behave…the Internet NEVER Forgets. Excerpt: “When we interact with people in real life, we’re often advised not to talk about politics or religion. Bringing up those emotionally charged topics is a good way to start arguments with strangers and friends alike. Yet I’ve seen countless authors, aspiring and published, break this rule online.”
Inform & Inspire
Amy Shojai: First Aid for Pets & Writers. Besides being the reincarnation of Princess Aurora able to call and calm the worlds favorite fauna, Amy also provides great resources for writers. This is her latest, anchored by an incredible speech by Neil Gaiman on creativity and following your dreams.
August McLaughlin: Reassuring Facts for the Creatively Compulsive. Excerpt: “If you’re one who has a tougher time pressing pause than start, I hope you find the following tidbits as comforting as I do. 5 Reassuring Facts for the Creatively Compulsive. 1. We’re not alone.”
Jami Gold: 12 Tips for Recovering from Writing Burnout. Excerpt: “Is Overdoing It a Given for Writers? Mental health professionals recommend that we avoid stress and overdoing things, but writing is a career of deadlines. The techniques to avoid burnout (getting enough sleep, saying no to deadlines, not taking on too much) aren’t always compatible with a writing career.”
Jeff Goins: Keep Dreaming – Even when they think you’re Nuts. Especially, when they think you’re nuts.
Larry Brooks: The Hierarchy of Clarity. How we think has much to do with how we achieve – Here there be great thinking.
On Writing
Gabriela Pereira: Introduction to KidLit. Excerpt: “Whether you’re a writer who loves children’s books or that style of literature has never really spoken to you, we all have one thing in common: we were all kids once. At some point in our lives, we’ve all had that experience of finding a book that captured us in a profound way. Chances are that book was one we read as a child.”
Kristen Lamb: 10 Ways for an ADD Writer to be Productive. Excellent tips!
K.M. Weiland: K.M. is a tremendous resource for scene structure ideas. Here are a few you’ll want to take a look at:
Options for Conflict in a Scene // Options for Disasters in a Scene
Variations on the Scene // The Three Building Blocks of the Sequel
Larry Brooks: The Trifecta of Storytelling Power. Keys and tips to unlocking your stories potential.
Janice Hardy: Janice is my go-to person for excellent writing advice and posts. Here are few to wet your appetite:
Four Ways to Pre-Write Your Scenes // How do you teach Writer Instinct
Better Plotting: 7 Ways Your Characters can Screw Up Their Decisions
Suzannah Windsor Freeman: Want Agents to Read Your Novel? Do this first. Great tips!
Jami Gold: Will Omniscient POV ever be popular again? Excellent look at this topic.
Roz Morris: How to Strengthen a Story Idea. Great tips! Also from Roz:
How to Find the Right Title for Your Book – a Brainstorming Workshop
Editing
Chuck Wendig: How Chuck Wendig Edits a Novel. I’m may it involve whiskey. And a flying pony. And maybe a death robot…
Indie Publishing
Dean Wesley Smith: Want to be an indie publisher? Know tons about writing but maybe not so much about Business (like me)? If you answered yes, you are in luck. Dean is updating his Think like a Publisher series, which is a basic guide into the business end of indie publishing. Give it a look, you’ll be glad you did.
Chapter 1: The Early Decisions // Chapter 2: Expected Costs
New World of Publishing: Counting Numbers
Joanna Penn: State of Self-Publishing and 5 Things to Get Sorted. Brilliant and insightful. Includes an audio clip.
Susan Spann: Your Author Business Plan: Compare, Contrast & Conquer. Great tips.
Mark Edwards: Self-Publishing Success Stories: The Anatomy of a Kindle Bestseller.
Jeff Goins: Everyone Should Start an Online Business – Or, How you can be your own Patron.
Lindsay Buroker: Attending Conventions & Conferences as an Independent Author.
Kristine Kathryn Rusch: Found Information // Editorial Revisions
Book Formatting
Donna Newton: Novel Layouts – Getting it Right. Tips and Tricks for the formatting ebooks.
The Coolest – Most Innovative – Resume I’ve Ever Seen
Philippe Dubost: An Amaz-ing Resume. Just go look, you will be awed by this one. Really, just go look!
On Marketing Technique
Darcy Pattison: Marketing Strategies: Who, Access, Willing? Tips for setting up a solid marketing and connection strategy. Also, Listservs & Forums for Book Marketing.
Elizabeth Craig: On Promo and Approaching Promo in 2013. Tips and ideas for finding a balance.
Dan Blank: In a Crowded Marketplace, Voice is Your Differentiator. Good insights.
Laura Pepper Wu: What makes a good Book Trailer? Some Key Elements to think about.
On the Writer’s Life
MaryJo Gibson: National Handwriting Day and the Artist. For those of us who still utilize and appreciate the artistry of longhand.
Kristen Lamb: Kristen is running a series of posts on “Enemies of the Art” – face it, we all carry roadblocks in our heads, erroneous thinking that can leave us curled up under a rock whispering “Redrum” over and over. Kristen provides common sense advice and a touch of tough love to help us avoid the pitfalls and find success.
Want to be a Successful Author? Burn Your Ships
Approval Addiction // Psychic Vampires
Contract Negotiations
Susan Spann: Susan is a lawyer and a shinobi (i.e. super-awesome ninja). Her current series on contract negotiations is a Must Read for anyone looking down the publishing road.
Mutual Benefit // Read the Contract // Tactics 101: Building the List
On Publishing
Joanna Penn: How to Publish a Book 101. Tips and tricks for book publishing.
Jane Friedman: Best Business Advice for Writers. Provides links to an array of useful content focused on improving our business practices and knowledge. Also from Jane:
Commodity Publishing, Self-Publishing and the Future of Fiction
Kristen Lamb: Predictions for the Future of Publishing and Authors of the Digital Age. Insightful post.
Lindsay Buroker: Thoughts on the Past & What’s Going to Work in the Future. Garnered from two years of intelligent experimentation in self-publishing – great insights.
Chuck Wendig: What Flavor of Publishing Will You Choose? Tip: Avoid the vanilla. Also from Chuck:
25 Hard Truths About Writing and Publishing
Bob Mayer: Looking Back and Ahead as an Author & Publisher. It’s Bob. It’s intelligent. It is worth the two minutes to read.
Laughter Saves the Soul
Piper Bayard: Princess Bride T-Shirt Sparks Terrorist Scare. Go watch it already – you know you want to (smile).
Jenny Hansen: Are Your Spammers trying to have Sex with You too? Need more be said – go read this!
On Recipes: Fuel for the creative body, mind & soul.
Anthony Richer: Here are two fun, and yummiful recipes from Anthony: My Grandmother’s Spekulaas Cookies // Rum Balls and Tea Cakes.
Resource Heaven
Jami Gold: Introducing the Query/Blurb Exchange Club. Excellent resource!
Elizabeth Craig: Help with Character Development. Links to a host of additional resources.
Cate Russell-Cole: Cate gave out a ton, and I do mean a full metric ton, of incredible resources at the end of the year. If you missed them, now is a second chance to fill your writing cart up with writerly gold:
2013 Free Calenders for Writers // Story & Character Tracking Forms
Editing Checklists for Writers // App Heaven for Writers
Gene Lempp ~ Writer 
Yay! You’re back. I’m so happy to see this today, except it’s going to take me about a week to get through all the writerly goodness you have here. Yikes. Fabulous links as always. Off to read them…
Wow, thanks for the mention–so much GOOD SCHTUFF here! And everybody MISSED you, welcome back.
*jumping up and down* HURRAY! Welcome back! Yes, we all missed you terribly!! You have been busy the last couple of days scouring the internet for all of these amazing resources! I don’t think I’ve read any of them–I guess I know what I’m doing today. 🙂 So, so, happy to see you here, my friend!
Been missing you. Checked my WordPress Reader yesterday wondering if you’d fallen off for some unknown, digital-world reason.
You made my Saturday morning with this compilation! Thanks for making my re-entry into exploring writer’s resources on the web such an easy task!
So glad you’re back! Thanks for all of the great links!
Thank you for including me with such an esteemed group of people. Seth Godin, Kristen Lamb, Jami Gold, Dean Wesley Smith, Elizabeth Gold, Bob Mayer, Jenny Hansen, Piper Bayard, … the list you provided is filled with some of the greatest writing/blogger talent on the web. Glad for your return too. We have missed you. 🙂
Hope all is well in your world, my friend! *hugs* Thanks for all the great links–and for including mine! 🙂
Amazing links! Wow, you’ve really assembled greatness here, Lempp! Must return to read more! I’ve read all of Kristen’s and I love that FB link that Jenny shared. I just did that Social Me activity and shared my humorous results on my blog. Pretty interesting and funny!
Wow…did I just score the Best Resource of the Week? Cool.
I was just thinking of you and your fabulous mashups, Gene. You’ve been missed. Thanks for the awesome shout and this awesome post. 🙂 You rock! Happy weekend to ya.
Tameri: Thanks! Take your time, the list will be here until the net collapses 🙂
Amy: Thanks 🙂
Marcia: Woot! Great to see you too, my friend. Enjoy the links 🙂
Jane: I am now “officially” back – glad to see you as well 🙂
Pam: That is what I like to hear. Making it easier to find excellent resources is why I do these. Enjoy 🙂
Carrie: Thanks, and you’re welcome 🙂
MaryJo: Thanks, sweetie 🙂 (She is my wife *wink*)
Jami: *hugs* Always welcome – with awesome content like yours, it would be a public disservice not to include it 🙂
Jess: Well thank you kindly Lady Witkins! Have not gotten a chance to Social Me myself yet, but I’ll do a post on it once I do.
Ed: Yes, yes you did indeed sir. Best Resource of the Week – the guide you did is unmatched, and I have searched. Thanks for putting it together, will save many of us a few unwanted headaches 🙂
August: Ah, thank you 🙂 Been missing all of you as well. Hope you have a great weekend (& week) too 🙂
Welcome back! You know I missed you. 🙂
Thanks for the double linky-love, and now I’ve got a boatload of reading to do…how fun is that?
Thanks, Jen! Been missing my Wonder Twin as well 🙂
Glad to catch you up – Be sure to check out Ed Ditto’s post.
Woohoo. Check out this goodness. Do you sleep, or do you read blogs all night?
Hey, Leanne! To answer your question: Yes *wink*
Thanks so much for including my post on Kristen’s blog. Convincing Kristen to like Facebook was a tough job – but somebody had to do it lo 😀 Glad you’re back. Missed you.
I hadn’t gotten to Ed’s post yet, so THANKS. 🙂
Thanks, Gene. I hope your readers will come visit me at http://EdDitto.com or find me on Twitter.
Just a note here: Ed Ditto is @BooksByEd on Twitter 😉
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Thanks for the mention Gene.
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